Electric fuse switch-box.



No. 742,499. PATENTED OCT. 27, 1903.

J. SACHS.

ELECTRIC FUSE SWITCH BOX. APPLICATION FILED 11111.19, 1901. RBNBWBD Nov.15, 1901. No MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED OCT. 27, 1903.

J. SACHS. ELECTRIC FUSE SWITCH BOX. APPLIUATION FILED MAR.19. 1901.RENBWBD Nov. 15.1901.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

N0 MODEL.

uns r.l moruumc man UNITED STATES Patented October 27, 1903.,

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH snol-is,

CONNECTICUT.

OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TC THE JOHNS- PRATT COMPANY, OFHARTFORD, CONNECTICUT,

A CORPORATION OF ELECTRIC FUSE SWITCH-BOX.

SPECIFICATION .forming part of Letters Patent No. 742,499, dated October27, 1903. Application filed March 19,1901. Renewed November 15, 1901.Serial No. 82,1147. (No model.)

.T all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOSEPH SACHS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented an Improvement in Electric Fuse Switch-Boxes,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an electric fuse switch-box for use onservice-circuits within ro doors or in the open air, the same beingplaced in any desired locality, according to circumstances. In myimprovement the removal or replacing of the fuse support or case isaccomplished without any manipulation of live contacts, the clampingdevices employed being removably connected to a movableV part orswitch-arm, which part preferably forms a cover and may be operated byhand, it being possible with this device to connect the fuse o supportor case to the movable part or switcharm andthen close the same inrelation to the base and in so doing bring the fuse support or case intoconnection with the metallic contacts on the base and preferably upon aninz5 sulating base-block. When in place, the fuse support or case may bereleased within the switch-box by manipulation from the eXterior, andthe movable part or switch-arm may be operated independent of the fusesupport 3o or case for the purpose 0f examining the condition of thefuse support or case within the box, and if the same becomes blown or itis desirable to remove the fuse support or case the movable part can beagain closed and the devices for clamping and holding the fuse supportor case bebroughtinto operation from the exterior and the fuse supportor case be grasped and connected to the movable part. The movable partor switch-arm, which pref- 4o erably forms a cover, will be hereinafterknown as the movable part and the fuse support or case will behereinafter known as the fuse device in an effort to simplify the terms.The after movement of the movable part removes the fuse device from themetal contacts upon the base, so that the hands of the operator are notbrought near live contacts in the manipulation of the switch-box. Ifdesired, the fuse device can remain in 5o connection with the movablepart when the sameis closed and also be in engagement with the metalcontacts of the base, and in cases of emergency where it becomesnecessary to break the circuit the movable part can either be quicklyoperated, or it can be forcefully operated to instantly remove the fusedevice from the metal contacts upon the base, and so break the circuit.Thislatter is sometimes desirable in case of fire, and it may also bedesirable in other cases.

In the drawings, Figure l is avertical section and partial elevation,and Fig. 2 a crosssection, representing the simpler form of myinvention. Fig. 3 is a plan and partial section. Fig. e is an elevationwith part of the cover broken open; and Fig. 5 a vertical section andpartial elevation, representing the preferred form of my invention, Fig.5 being taken at the line a c of Fig. 4 in the direction of the arrow.

The metal base a of the electric fuse switchbox may be of any desiredshape and is preferably provided with devices such as the lugs l forconnecting the same to a suitable support or wall by screws, bolts, orother devices. The movable part, which, in fact, is the switch-arm ormetal cover b, is connected to the metal base by hinges 2 at oneend,andin Vthe simpler form of the invention (shown in Figs. l and 2)the said base and movable part 8o are connected at the end opposite tothe hinges by a pivoted swinging nut 3.

Within the metal base c and connected thereto in any desired manner isan insulatingbase-block c, and within the movable part I prefer toprovide insulating cover-blocks d, secured thereto in any desiredmanner.

c represents the fuse device, which is a support or case of usual orwell-known character, preferably cylindrical, of insulating material 9oand with metal ends.

ff represent metallic contacts on the basebloclr c, and g g' electricalconnections from outside the switch-box to the metallic contactsff'. 95

In the simpler form of the invention (shown in Figs. l and 2) the metalcontacts are shown of ordinary U shape or form, while in the preferredform of theinvention (shown in Figs. 3 to 5, inclusive) the said metalconrco tacts have a spring character and are made with ends that arecurved, so as to snap around the fuse device c and forcibly hold thesame in place. In the simpler form of the invention (shown in Figs. land 2) the means for removably clamping and holding the fuse device tothe movable part and by which .the said fuse device may be released tobe retained in the metal contacts comprises the hand-operated screws hh. These screws pass through opposite sides of the movable part or coverh diagonally or at an acute angle, the points of the screws passingpartially over the cylindrical fuse device and partially thereon withsufficient force to hold the fuse device crease in contact with theinsulating-blocks d, and it will be noticed from Fig. l that the fusedevice rests at its respective ends against the insulating-blocks d andthat the hand-operated screws 7L 7i come about midway of the fuse deviceand intermediate to the respective end supports, so that by the endsupports and the screws h 7L when the same are applied against the fusedevice the said fuse device is held firmly in contact with the blocks d.Then the switchbox is closed, as shown in Figs. l and 2, the fuse deviceis in electrical connection with the metal coutactsff upon thebase-block c, as well as being held against the insulatingblocks d bythe screws 7L 7M, which while they touch the fuse device do not touchany metal parts thereof.

The pivoted swinging nut 3, Fig. l, holds the movable part to the base,and when the same is released and swung out of the way the movable parth will swing on its hinges 2 down and out of the way of the base,carrying with it the fuse device and at the same time breaking theelectrical connection of the fuse device with the metal contacts ff'. Inthe openedout position the fuse device can be readily removed byloosening the handoperated screws and another fuse device inserted inits place which will make metallic connection with the contacts ff whenthe movable part is again closed up. As will be noticed, thesehand-operated screws 7L h clamp the fuse device inside, and they aremanipulated from the exterior and may be unscrewed to release the fusedevice and leave the same in the metal contacts ff.

The means shown in the preferred form of the invention, Figs. 3 to 5,inclusive, for clamping and holding the fuse device to the movable partis also actuated in the same manner-that is, the clamping is effectedinside and the devices are manipulated from the exterior. These devicesin these figures comprise the pivoted fingers t' rl', with curvedadjacent faces and shoulders bearing upon the inner surface of themovable part. rihese lingers are pivoted to a yoke 4, havingascrew-threaded stem 5 passing through the movable part Z), with ahand-operated nut 6, of metal, on the outside of the movable part orcover.

A spring 7, centrally wound about the pivot connecting the yoke and thefingers, extends in opposite directions, passing through thepivotedfingers, the tendency of the spring being to open the lingers and in sodoing re-l lease their hold upon the fuse device c, while incontradistinction to this movement the tendency of the lvoke andthreaded stem 5 when acted upon by the nut 6 is to force the fingerstoward one another and bring their curved adjacent faces into forcibleholding contact with the fuse device e, and it will be apparent thatthese lingers while adapted to engage the fuse device within theswitch-box are operated entirely from the exterior of the case andwithout the necessity of opening the switch-box, while they may beoperated equally well when the movable part or cover is open to removethe fuse device and insert another in the place of the one removed. Likethe devices in the simpler form of my invention these pivoted lingersmay engage and hold the fuse device at the same time that the fusedevice is grasped and held in electrical connection with the metalcontacts ff upon the base-block c. In the simpler form of the invention,Figs. l and 2, I have shown the pivoted swinging nut 3 for holding themovable part and base in a closed relation. preferred form of theinvention bythe springmetal contacts forcefully engaging the fuse deviceor devices. I have illustrated that the switch-box may be large enoughto hold three fuse devices; but I do not limit myself in any respect tothe number of fuse devices held in the switch-box, as while there mustbe one there may also be any number. I have also shown the preferredform of the invention provided with a handle. A handle may also beprovided, if desirable, to the simpler form of the invention, as shownin Figs. l and 2, and the nut 3 of the device in Figs. l and 2 may be ofmetal, or it may be of an easily-frangible materialhsuch, for instance,as hard wax-that possesses just suf- `licientstrength to be fullyoperative, but not sufficient strength to resist an action ofconsiderable force which is liable to be applied to a device of thiskind in a case of emergency. I'Vith the preferred form, Figs. 3 to 5,inclusive, and in which the movable part is held to .the box by the formof springmetal contacts shown, a forceful pull upon the handle willreadily separate the fuse device or devices from the metal contacts uponthe base-block c. On the other hand, the device of the preferred formmay be made with a pivoted swinging nut similar to the nut of the device3 in Figs. l and 2, and in this case it will be preferable that the nutbe made of frangible material which may be easily broken by a pull offorce employed in the case of an emergency to break the circuit.

In both forms of my invention the insulating base-blocks c within andconnected to the metal bases c become and are, in effect,

This function is performed in the IOC lIO

generically speaking, supports for the metallic contacts and theelectric connections therefor.

I claim as my inventionl. In a switch-box, the combination with a baseand a movable part forming a switcharm, of metal contacts upon the baseand electrical connections therefrom, a fuse and support therefor, and adevice adapted to engage the fuse support and connect the same to themovable part which device may be released to leave the fuse and supportin connection with the metal contacts, substantially as set forth.

2. In a switch-box, the combination with a metal base and aninsulating-block connected therewith and metal contacts connected to thesaid block, of a movable part forming a switcharm,a fuse and holdertherefor adapted to be supported by said metal contacts, and a clampingdevice removably connected to the movable part or switch-arm actuatedfrom the exterior and adapted upon the interior to engage thefuse-holder, for the time being to hold the same in a fixed relation tothe movable part or switch-arm, the said parts to be removed therewithand from the metal contacts when the position of the said movable partor switch-arm is altered, substantially as set forth.

3. In a switch-box, the combination with a base and pivoted movablepart, metallic contacts, a support and electrical connections thereforconnected to the base, of a clamping device connected to and supportedby the movable part and actuated eXteriorly of the movable part andoperative interiorly of the same, a fuse and support to be received andheld by the metal contacts and to be engaged by the said clamping devicewhich is adapted to hold' the fuse-support in a iixed relation to themovable part and to move the same with the movement of the said movablepart, substantially as set forth.

4. In a switch-box, the combination with a base and a movable partforming' a switcharm, of metal contacts upon the base and electricalconnections therefrom, a fuse and support therefor and a deviceconnected with the movable part and adapted to engage the fusesupportAfor clamping the same in relation to the movable part, and which may bereleased to leave the fuse-support in connection with the metalliccontacts, substantially as set forth.

5. In a switch-box, the combination with a met-al base and aninsulating-block connected therewith,of a movable part forming aswitcharm and insulating-blocks connected therewith, metallic contactsconnected to the block of the base, a fuse device adapted to be heldthereby and a clamping device connected to the movable part actuatedfrom the eXterior and adapted upon the interior to engage the fusedevice and hold the same in a iXed relation to the movable part to beremoved therewith and from the metal contacts when the position `of thesaid movable part or switch-arm is altered, substantially as set forth.

6. In a switch-box, the combination with a base and movable part,metallic contacts, a support and electrical connections therefor, of aclamping device connected to and supported by the movable part actuatedexteriorly thereof and operative interiorly of the movable part, a fusedevice to be received and held by the metal contacts and to be engagedby the said clamping device which is adapted to hold the fuse device ina iXed relation to the movable part and to move the same with themovement thereof, substantially as set forth.

7. In a switch-box, the combination with a metal base, an insulatingbase-block held within the same, metal contacts and means for supportingthe same upon the insulating base-block and electrical connectionstherefrom, of a movable part forming a switch-arm and cover, means forconnecting the same to the base, insulating-blocks therein provided withrecesses, a fuse support or case fitting the said recesses and adaptedto be received in said metal contacts, and a device connected toandmovable with the said movable device or switch-arm exteriorly actuatedand interiorly operative and adapted to grasp the fuse support or caseand hold the same in a fixed relation to the insulating-blocks, so thatwhen the switch arm or cover is moved the fuse support or case movestherewith, the fuse-case being in connection with the contacts when theswitch-box is closed, substantially as set forth.

8. In a switch-box, the combination with a metal base, an insulatingbase -block held within the same, metal contacts and means forsupporting the same upon the insulating base-block and electricalconnections theren from, of a movable part forming a switch arm orcover, means for connecting the same to the base, insulating-blocks inthe switch arm or cover provided with recesses, a fuse support or caseitting the said recesses and adapted to be received in the said metalcontacts and pivoted fingers located within the movable part and adaptedto grasp the fusesupport upon opposite sides, and means eX- terior tothe movable part for actuating the fingers in one direction and forcausing the fingers to forcibly engage the fuse-support, and a springfor releasing the same, substantially as set forth.

9. In a s\vitchbox,the combination with a metal base, an insulating base-block held within the same, metal contacts and means for supporting thesame upon the insulating base-block and electrical connectionstherefrom, of a movable part forming a switch arm or cover, means forconnecting the same to the base, insulating-blocks within the same andprovided with recesses, a fuse support or case itting the said recessesand adapted to be received in the said metal contacts, and

IOO

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oppostely placed pivoted lingers having curved adjacent faces adapted toengage the fuse support or case upon opposite sides, a yoke to whichsaid fingers are pivoted, a threaded stem connected with the yoke andpassing through the movable part, a nut upon the said threaded stemexterior to the movable part, and a spring upon the pivot-pin With partsextending therefrom and at their ends connected with the respectivefingers, the spring acting to release the grip of the fingers and thenut acting to forcibly engage the ingers with the fuse-case,substantially as set forth.

10. In a switch-box, the combination With a base, and a movablepartpivoted to swing in connection With the base, of a clamping devicepivoted to the base adapted to engage the movable part at a pointopposite to its pivotal connection With the base, and a frangible nutadapted to normally hold the movable part to the base but which isbroken to release the movable part When the same is forcefullyoperated,substantially as setforth.

11A. The combination with the metal platecover or movable part, ofoppositely-placed pivoted lingers having curved adjacent engaging facesand shoulders bearing upon the inner surface of the plate, a yoke towhich the said ingers are pivoted,a-tl1readed stem connected with theyoke and passing through an opening in the plate or cover, and a nutupon the said threaded stein exterior to said plate and adapted toforcibly operate the said fingers to bring their curved adjacent facestoward one another, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this lei-th day of March, 1901.

JOSEPH SACHS. lVitnesses:

GEO. T. PINCKNEY, S. G. HAVILAND.

